


The tale of a man and a monster

by silvermoongirl10



Series: Clone Wars Senior Padawan Obi-Wan Kenobi AU [6]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Battle, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Gen, Ghost Company fights droids, Hurt/Comfort, Injury, Lightsaber Battles (Star Wars), M/M, Master & Padawan Relationship(s), Mentioned Darth Maul, Obi-Wan Kenobi Needs a Hug, Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon fight Maul, Padawan Obi-Wan Kenobi, Protective CC-2224 | Cody, Worried CC-2224 | Cody, Worried Obi-Wan Kenobi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-18
Updated: 2021-02-22
Packaged: 2021-03-14 01:28:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,851
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29535456
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/silvermoongirl10/pseuds/silvermoongirl10
Summary: GAR intelligence suggests that the Separatists are making a move on the planet Traba. The Minister of the planet is unhelpful and it seems has led the 212th into a trap.Cody and his men are left trying to hold back the battle droids, while Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon must fight an unknown Sith. Cody is uncertain what is happening to his cyare, but must turn away from his cyare fighting the Sith with a double ended red lightsaber, as his duty means he must lead the men.
Relationships: CC-2224 | Cody/Obi-Wan Kenobi, Ghost Company & CC-2224 | Cody, Ghost Company & Obi-Wan Kenobi, Obi-Wan Kenobi & Anakin Skywalker, Qui-Gon Jinn & Obi-Wan Kenobi
Series: Clone Wars Senior Padawan Obi-Wan Kenobi AU [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2153232
Comments: 31
Kudos: 130





	1. The Man

**Author's Note:**

> This fic is set in late 21 BBY, so Obi-Wan is now 23 (almost 24) years old.

Cody felt uneasy as he stepped into the massive government building of Traba. The building reminding him more of a palace, with its extravagant paintings, furnishings, stone walls and floors. The GAR’s intelligence suggested that the Separatists were making a move to take the forest filled planet by force. So, the 212th had been dispatched to go to Traba and determine whether the threat was imminent and thus, decide if a unit needed to be based on the planet permanently. He listened as the men made comments about the building, ranging from awe at the massive sand coloured stone, to dismissive comments about the humans of Traba who did not seem to understand the urgency of confirming whether Separatists were anywhere in the system or not.

Half of the 212th had remained on the Negotiator, ready to assist if needed, but also able to keep a look out for approaching Separatist ships. Leaving Ghost Company and two other companies to travel down to the thick forestation planet.

Obi-Wan half turned to him and when the Minister of Traba was not looking, rolled his eyes at Cody and silently gestured for the men to settle down to wait in the government building’s entrance hall. Cody was glad his helmet could hide his smirk. He knew how much his cyare disliked government officials wasting the Jedi Order and GAR’s time, he heard the Minister comment how unnecessary it was for a huge unit of the 212th size to descend on his planet. Cody wondered how the Minister was going to take the fact that the 501st was on its way as well to support the 212th in the hunt for Separatist activity in the system.

Hearing a sigh, Cody turned back to see the Minister walking away from Obi-Wan and General Jinn, leaving the two Jedi looking as fed up as Jedi allowed themselves. “Did not go to plan then sirs?” he asked.

Jinn shook his head, “no it did not. Minister Trevine is adamant there are no Separatists here and would like us all to leave as soon as possible.”

Just before Cody could ask what their new orders would be, he frowned when he noticed Obi-Wan stiffen and his blue eyes stare off into the distance. After serving with the Jedi Padawan for eighteen months and being in a relationship with him for four months, he had learned the signs for when his cyare was having a vision or a warning from the Force.

“Obi-Wan?” asked Jinn, his deep rumbling voice low in concern as he rested a hand on Obi-Wan’s shoulder. Cody stepped closer and rested a hand on Obi-Wan’s other shoulder, his cyare told him often that his phasing out was nothing to worry about, but nevertheless it always unsettled Cody.

“There is something Dark here,” murmured Obi-Wan, as he blinked his eyes and refocused on them. Cody tensed at his cyare’s words and cast his gaze around the entrance hall where they had been left. He assessed the space and realised, what appeared to be a Minister’s reluctance to let them into the government building, could also work as a perfect trap, they were limited to where they could go. Behind them was the grand metal entrance doors, in front of them was a marble staircase that led upwards and deeper into the building, while to the left and right of them were tight corridors and small meeting rooms. Their only escape would be out of the entrance doors or up. Going up leaving them in the building. So, if he was laying a trap, he knew which way he would enter the building.

“Ventress? Dooku?” asked Jinn, his midnight blue eyes narrowed as he used the Force to try and sense what Obi-Wan did.

Obi-Wan sook his head. “No. Whoever it is, we have not met them before. But they are _Dark_ Master.”

Cody and Jinn shared a worried look, even Obi-Wan was looking unsettled and it took a lot to do that. Cody was about to order the men out of the building so they could regroup and decide what to do outside, when the distinctive clank of approaching battle droids approached the entrance. Instantly the men went silent, and hastily began pulling tables and elegant sofas over onto their sides and crouching behind them, while others dived into the side corridors, pointing their blasters around the stone arches. Cody went to crouch beside Waxer behind the table he and Boil had tipped onto its side, watching as the two Jedi continued to stand in the middle of the entrance hall.

The eerie quiet as they waited for the droids was broken by the soft sounds of footsteps on the marble stairs behind them. Cody rolled his eyes expecting to see the Minister again. However, when he turned his head, he felt the colour drain from his face. He saw a figure cloaked in black, the figure pushed down its hood to reveal the red and black face of a Zabrak. He noticed Obi-Wan tense and realised this was the Darkness his cyare had sensed. The two Jedi had turned to face the staircase, watching silently as the unknown Sith dropped his black robe and unclipped from his belt a lightsaber. To Cody’s surprise two red blades emerged from each end of the lightsaber. The figure snarled at the Jedi, barring its teeth in a challenge.

Jinn and Obi-Wan shrugged off their brown robes, letting them flutter to the stone floor. Cody rolled his eyes and made a note to himself to ensure the robes were later picked up. Then the two Jedi, while looking up at the figure at the top of the stairs, unclipped their lightsabers from their belts and activated them. As they began to step closer to the stairs, the figure stepped back and with one more vicious snarl, it backed around the corner. Possibly going upwards again or going down on of the side corridors on the next level. The two Jedi shared a look and then all Cody could do was watch as his General and cyare followed the Sith up the stairs cautiously. His stomach twisted at the thought of the Sith leading the Jedi into a trap, but there was nothing Cody could do.

As much as Cody hated having Obi-Wan out of his sight in a situation like this, he had to turn away from the stairs, ensuring the men did the same. Readying themselves to face the battle droids he could hear were even closer to the door. He took a deep breath and pushed his worry for Obi-Wan out of his mind, and narrowed his eyes as he readied his blaster and leaned it on the side of the wooden table.

Within seconds the metal doors were bursting open and battle droids were marching in, in rows of four. Instantly the space was filled with red and blue blaster blots, fragments of stone bursting out of the walls and falling to the stone floor, dust from the stone fragments filling the air.

“Where’s the 501st?” shouted Waxer to him, trying to be heard over the din of battle.

Cody ground his teeth together, “that’s what I want to know!” At the very least, the men on the Negotiator should have reported the Resolute arriving into the system by now. Technically the 501st were late. He tapped on his commlink and ordered the remaining three companies of the 212th to get into gunships and come and assist the battle. He then sent a sort message to Rex. “Rex! We are engaging battle droids at the government building and there is an unknown Sith here. We need you here _now!_ ” He then looked away from his commlink and focused back on the battle.

All he could do was try and cover brothers he saw fall wounded, he heard Waxer curse and looked to their left, seeing Flycatcher lying on the floor by the side entrance to the left-hand side of the building. Without speaking, he, Waxer and Boil moved forward and pushed back the droids that was too close to their brother. As they approached Flycatcher, they spotted Longshot and Wooley lying on the floor beside them, their blood seeping into the stone floor and mingling together.

“Medics!” shouted Cody, he crouched down beside Flycatcher, noting the blood coating Flycatcher’s right side. He dragged his brother back behind the corner of the corridor, he tried to be careful, not wanting to hurt the younger man more, but he _had_ to get Flycatcher out of the line of fire. He, Waxer and Boil tended to the wounded men as best as they could, ducking down so they would not be hit themselves.

Thankfully, the arrival of Patch and his fellow medics Painkiller and Needle, also brought Blackeye, the tense line of his body telling Cody how furious he was seeing his squad mates lying injured on the floor. Cody helped Patch steady Flycatcher, distantly aware of Boil helping Painkiller with Longshot and Waxer helping Needle with Wooley. He looked into the entrance hall and seeing the desperate situation, he checked Patch was alright with Flycatcher and moved past Blackeye and back into the fray.

The battle droids were pushing them step by step back into the building, dividing them between the left and right-side corridors and the stairs. Knowing Obi-Wan and Jinn had enough to deal with, with the unknown Sith, Cody was determined to keep the battle droids away from the stairs. The men seemed to understand how important it was to keep the droids away from the stairs, and so they made desperate attempts to keep them back. Cody gritted his teeth seeing many of his brothers get hit. They needed reinforcements _now_.

One of the Lieutenants of the one of the other 212th companies informed them they had arrived and were engaging the battle droids from behind at the outside entrance to the government building. Cody nodded to himself and knew they just had to hang on until the 501st could also come and support them, seeing as he had no idea how many battle droids were in the area thanks to the unhelpful Minister who was undoubtably hiding somewhere in the building.

Hearing a pained grunt, he turned and could only watch from his crouched position by the stairs as Blackeye was hit in his shoulder by a blaster bolt. The force of the shot pushed Blackeye around the corner, his blood smearing the wall, but rather than slumping to the floor, Blackeye used the wall to push against it and keep himself upright. Blackeye removed his helmet with its one eye painted black and snarled at the droids, shouting out “is that the best you’ve got?!”

“Get down here!” yelled Patch, his head helmet-less as he glared up at Blackeye. The injured clone ignored the medic and balanced the end of his blaster against his stomach rather than pressing it against his injured shoulder. “Blackeye!” growled Patch, his fury at being ignored evident for all to see.

Just as Cody decided to cross the space that separated him from Blackeye, to deal with his injured brother himself. He watched as Trapper ran across the entrance hall from the opposite corridor, in a fit of desperation to help his squad mate, his head dunked down as he managed to doge red blaster bolts shot towards him. He then launched himself at Blackeye and tackled the injured clone down to the floor. Instantly Patch, who had left Flycatcher in Needle’s care, pounced on Blackeye and held the man down as he hissed probable death threats thought Cody. He watched as Trapper pushed himself to his feet and took Blackeye’s place protecting the medics and injured men, Boil standing up to join him while Waxer copied Trapper but in the opposite direction. Heading for the opposite corridor to the men who looked like they were about to be swarmed by droids. A shot caught Waxer’s left foot, causing the Lieutenant to drop towards the ground heavily, sliding a few feet forwards, but not ending up close enough to the men and the cover he was aiming for. Boil was shouting across the space, readying himself to charge after his batch mate, Trapper wrapped an arm around Boil’s waist and physically held him back. Cody readied himself to run across the hall himself when he spotted a droid aim it’s blaster at Waxer’s head.

Before Cody could watch as one of his closest brother’s was killed in front of him, Gearshift flung himself out of cover and grabbed onto Waxer’s arms and dragged the Lieutenant into the corridor, the blaster shot aimed at his head harmlessly hitting the stone floor. Cody heaved a sigh of relief and noted Boil stopped struggling against Trapper and threw his anger at the droids by firing his blaster, furious growls carrying over the noise.

“Commander!” Cody looked at his commlink, “Gearshift has an idea!” He looked across the hall to see Meteor gesturing at Gearshift who was now crouched beside a big metal box, that Cody suspected was an electrical generator.

“What is it?” he asked. At this point open for any idea.

“He thinks he could overload the system and cause a surge of power that would create an electrical current in the air and if it wouldn’t stop the droids completely it would give us enough time to deal with them, by slowing down their reaction times,” stated Meteor.

Gearshift then turned towards him and pointed at the electrical wires he had not noticed before that ran along the bottom of the walls, all the way around the hall. “If I can overload the system enough, those wires will need to send the electricity somewhere and it should go towards the droids.”

“What about us?” asked Cody. It sounded like a really good idea, but he wasn’t keen on his men getting electrocuted.

“We’re not made of metal; it won’t head for us. Just them!” replied Gearshift, his hands hovering over the generator, waiting for Cody’s order.

“Do it!” Cody ordered, at this point just wanting _something_ to go in their favour.

Gearshift nodded and then pressed down on all of the buttons of the generator. Cody bent forwards as he charged across the hall to where he could see Blackeye was still struggling against Patch. He landed heavily at Blackeye’s feet and pressed down on his flailing legs. “That’s enough Blackeye!” he ordered. Instantly Blackeye froze, causing Patch to roll his eyes and finally be able to treat the injured clone.

They all jumped when Gearshift’s plan began to work, maybe a little _too well_. Small explosions erupted from the light fixtures around the hall and side corridors. The men not wearing their helmets bent their heads down and covered their heads with their arms. Cody stretched over Blackeye and used his back to cover the injured clone’s unprotected face.

The droids seemed to slow down, and so the men got out from behind their covers as they hastily began dispatching the droids while their reaction times were slowed down.

Cody looked around and smirked to himself when the previously perfectly unblemished, sand coloured stone walls now had scorch marks all over them, along with blaster holes in the walls and the floor. Painkiller looked around and whistled to himself, “well I hope this building wasn’t too expensive.”

Blackeye grunted as he was finally allowed to sit up by Patch. “It would serve the planet right. The Minister obviously knew the droids were here and was quite happy for us to be led into a trap.”

Cody stood up and noted how his men were just dealing with the last of the droids when the entrance doors were flung open to reveal men of the 501st taking in the destruction. Seeing Rex and General Skywalker enter the building, Cody felt anger rise up within him. His cyare was somewhere in this building in danger and he didn’t know if he was still alive because he had been held up in the entrance hall because the 501st hadn’t been where they were needed. As Rex stepped towards him with a cautious look on his face, Cody took off his helmet and clipped it onto his belt.

“Where were you?!” he yelled, catching the attention of all the men in the room. The men of the 501st froze, some looking at their feet. To the men of the 212th’s credit, only Cody was angrily yelling about where their back up had been. “We needed back up and you were not even in the _system!_ ”

Rex froze and stared at him with wide eyes. Skywalker stepped closer, a conflicted look on his face. “I am so sorry Cody,” Skywalker stated. “We were about to depart, but the Chancellor had been visiting the system we were based on and decided to talk to me. I couldn’t get rid of him, even when I stated he might as well come to Traba with us.”

Cody deflated and nodded. As his anger faded, he realised the 501st had been put in a difficult position all because the Chancellor wanted to talk to Skywalker. Obi-Wan had told him many times how the Chancellor always wanted to talk to Skywalker and seemed to be trying to persuade Skywalker into working permanently for him in the Chancellor’s office. “Understood sir,” he commented. Skywalker nodded at him, and he knew his outburst was not going to be held against him. “Sir, General Jinn and Commander Kenobi are somewhere in this building fighting an unknown Sith. I want to go and find them.”

Skywalker’s face creased in concern and nodded. He closed his eyes for a moment, obviously sensing where his former Master and brother were in the building. “This way. Hurry,” he stated as he began to run up the marble stairs two at a time.

His comment caused Cody’s stomach to sink and twist, fearing something had happened to his cyare. He hastily waved Patch to follow himself, Rex and Skywalker. The medic frowned in concern and picked up his small bag of medical supplies and ran across the hall towards Cody. As they ran up the stairs, he heard more than one pair of footsteps behind him, and as he turned the corner on the stairs, going up another level, he spotted Waxer hobbling up the stairs followed by Boil, Meteor and Gearshift. The worry of the members of Ghost Company for their Jedi Commander and General evident on their faces, as their helmets bounded against their legs from where they were clipped onto their belts.

As they turned onto a corridor on the third level, they began hurrying down the right-side corridor. Their footsteps and breaths echoing off the stone walls. Cody was praying to the Force for his cyare to be alright, he could deal with injured, what he couldn’t deal with was dead.

Suddenly, a terrified, grief-stricken voice screamed down the corridor, the voice eerily echoing throughout the building, “ _NOOOOOO!_ ”

Cody’s blood ran cold.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so bad at describing battles, so I hope you could follow what was happening.
> 
> Chapter 2 will be from Obi-Wan's POV, which means I am editing the lightsaber battle because I am even worse at writing those than I am at writing other battles.


	2. And the Monster

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is the next chapter! I struggled to write the lightsaber fight I imagined in my head, so I can only hope it is easy to follow and you can sort of 'see' what is happening. 
> 
> Thank you for all of your lovely comments! And I hope this chapter was worth the wait!

As the Sith stepped back and around the corner on the marble stairs, Obi-Wan clenched his jaw tightly, his instincts screaming at him not to allow the Sith to lead them wherever he wanted them to go. But they had no choice but to follow. So, he and Master Qui-Gon cautiously began stepping up the stairs, using the Force to work out where the Sith was, not wanting to be ambushed as they rounded the corner. As he stepped around the corner, he threw one last look down at the men who were preparing for the battle droids’ attack. It felt wrong just leaving them there to deal with the ambush, but he knew he could not let his Master face this unknown Sith alone. No matter how much he wanted to stand beside Cody and the men.

On the third level of the building, Obi-Wan turned his head to the right and there stood with both ends of his lightsaber activated, was the Sith. Lips pulled back in a snarl as his yellow eyes narrowed in triumph. Obi-Wan frowned in displeasure, hating the fact they had followed where the Sith had wanted them to go. They had no control of his fight yet and they needed to gain the upper hand soon, if they were to succeed and then go and help the men.

The darkness of the Sith seeped into the Force around them, chilling Obi-Wan to the bone, the hairs on his arms stood up and he barely resisted the urge to flinch when he felt the Sith batter against his mental shields. But he stood firmly, physically and mentally, determined to not allow the Sith to gain the upper hand again. He and Master Qui-Gon just stood staring at the Sith, their lightsabers activated and raised in the Ataru attack position. But while their preferred form relied on attacking on the offensive, they both waited. Through their training bond, they both acknowledged that the Sith _wanted_ them to attack first, so as to continue leading them to where he wanted to herd them. Putting the fight distinctly in his favour. So, they stood their ground, both staring straight ahead at the Sith.

The Sith seemed to become impatient with them, not liking the fact the two Jedi were not stepping forward to fight him already. Obi-Wan smirked, glad to see they were beginning to disrupt the Sith’s plans, even if it was only by a little bit. In a fit of anger the Sith scorched one end of his lightsaber against the stone floor of the corridor, the stone turning black and fragments of stone and small sparks flew up into the air, the almost silence broken by the grating sound of lightsaber against stone. Obi-Wan’s ears rang with the sound and he wished he could cover his ears, but did not want to show any weakness to the Sith. So, he titled his head up a little and just looked at the Sith with displeasure. The Sith growled in anger in response and turned the focus of his attention to Obi-Wan, by taking a step forward.

“Is that supposed to be threatening?” Obi-Wan asked, his tone unimpressed. He felt his Master tense slightly beside him, the training bond alight with concern and caution. But Obi-Wan kept his focus on the Sith, an almost mocking smile on his face.

“You will die here Jedi!” snarled the Sith, his voice loud and shaking with anger as it echoed off the walls of the corridor. Obi-Wan could sense his power in the Dark Side and could tell this Sith was almost as powerful as Dooku. Sensing the strength of the Sith, Obi-Wan began to mentally consider the best way to fight the Sith. Full on offensive attacks did little against Dooku, which was why he had been studying the Soresu forms in earnest after his first encounter with Dooku. His progress was hampered by spending most of his time out of the Temple on the Negotiator, he couldn’t ask the Masters in the Temple to help him, he had only his training Holocron loaded with the katas of Soresu to help guide his movements. But despite the lack of his skills in Soresu he knew he was going to have to rely on all he had learnt so far to help his Master defeat the Sith.

“Well, that wasn’t very original,” he stated lightly, enjoying setting the Sith on edge, while his Master continued to use their training bond urging him to be cautious. “Do you know how many times I have heard that during the war?”

“This time I will deliver your head to my Master!” seethed the Sith. Obliviously loosing patience, if he had any, with Obi-Wan quickly.

Without warning, the Sith leapt forward, jumping through the air. Obi-Wan had been expecting this and immediately fell into a defensive stance, extending his arms out to also protect his Master. While he blocked the Sith’s attack, Master Qui-Gon went on his own attack, the Sith’s side unprotected. However, the Sith flicked his double ended lightsaber to the side, easily brushing off his Master’s attack.

Obi-Wan ducked under the Sith’s lightsaber and spun on his left foot, facing the Sith’s back he went to land a blow, but his Master was flung to the floor and the Sith immediately faced his attack and began pushing him back. Obi-Wan fell into the Soresu forms, allowing himself to be herded backwards. He cursed himself, but knew that at the moment he was unable to attack the Sith in the corridor. The Sith was too determined to herd them down the corridor, Obi-Wan just hoped that once he ended up wherever the Sith wanted him then the Sith had not planned beyond that point. Leaving Obi-Wan with a chance to start directing the fight himself. So, by falling on the defensive he allowed the Sith to grow angrier in his attacks, hoping the Sith would grow tired, allowing him and his Master to go on the offensive.

Looking behind the Sith, he noticed his Master up on his feet and preparing to launch himself into the fight. Realising that with both of them fighting, they were losing any advantage they might have, giving the Sith chance to wear them both down. So, Obi-Wan called down the training bond to his Master.

_Master wait! Don’t attack yet!_

_Padawan, I **cannot** let you fight the Sith alone!_ His Master responded, his mental voice tight with concealed worry and a small amount of chiding.

 _You **have to**! _He replied desperately. _We need to gain an advantage. Let him think he’s dazed you and I will tire him out with Soresu. Once he’s pushed me where he wants, **then** we can attack together._

In answer his Master hung back, his lightsaber still activated as he steadily followed the duel down the corridor, his displeasure clear on his face. Satisfied that his Master would hold back, Obi-Wan re-concentrated on the duel. Having to follow the double ended lightsaber closely with his eyes, not wanting the Sith to strike him on one of his sides.

He felt himself pushed back against a set of wooden doors. The handles dug into his back, causing him to wince as the doors shook with the force of his body hitting them. The Sith leaned back as he lunged forwards, his lightsaber ready to deliver a killing blow. Obi-Wan spun away at the last second leaving the Sith to strike his lightsaber through the doors. Obi-Wan seeing an opportunity, raised his lightsaber up and brought it down with speed against the Sith’s lightsaber. His blow did not land. Instead, the Sith twisted his body and pulled the lightsaber out of the door and flicked Obi-Wan’s attacking lightsaber out of the way and bodily pushed the two wooden doors open. Stepping backwards into the room with a satisfied smirked on his red and black face.

Obi-Wan walked through the doors, swinging his lightsaber in his grip. Briefly he cast his gaze over the room, assessing where they had been led. He was stood on a balcony that was more like a walkway as it surrounded the circular room perfectly. In front of him was a green marbled staircase that led down into what he presumed was a ceremony chamber for the government building. Either side of the stairs was green marbled hand rails, with white marbled stands that connected the green handrails to the green steps. There were two white pillars at the top of the stairs, then the handrails of the balcony were made of pink marble, marking out the walkway in a perfect circle above the main room. The elegancy of the room was juxtaposed by the Sith, who was stood at the top of the marble stairs, in his black tunic.

Instead of stepping closer to the stairs, Obi-Wan side stepped to his left, slowly stepping away from the Sith around the walkway. The Sith hissed in annoyance, but did start following Obi-Wan. He stopped when he was a quarter of the way around the walkway, his Master stepped into the doorway and stared across at him with wide, wary eyes. But holding back, trusting Obi-Wan would ask for help when he needed it.

Once the Sith was only two feet away from him, he launched into the air, leaping over the Sith and landing behind him and immediately swinging at the Sith with his lightsaber. The Sith unbalanced as he fought off Obi-Wan’s attack, surprised at the sudden shift from defensive to offensive. At the Force’s urging he pulled his lightsaber back, leaving the Sith further unbalanced as there was no lightsaber for him to lean his lightsaber and weight on. Then, as the Sith tried to right himself, Obi-Wan brought his lightsaber down and through the middle of the Sith’s lightsaber, the right end clattering uselessly to the floor, hitting the marble floor with a sharp sound.

 _Now Master!_ He shouted through the training bond and instantly stepped to the side allowing for his Master to rush forward to where he had just been standing. But the Sith jumped onto the handrail, increasing his height and kicked Obi-Wan in the head. He hit the marble floor with a grunt, cursing himself. He looked up to see his Master fighting the Sith, trying to gain the upper hand. But the Sith used the Force to push his Master to the floor beside him. As the Sith jumped off the handrail and raised his lightsaber up in the air to strike his Master, Obi-Wan pushed himself to his feet and used his lightsaber to block the blow. He swung his lightsaber from left to right, just trying to find an opening to end this fight.

“I’ll enjoy dealing with you,” sneered the Sith. “You have been a great thorn in my Master’s plans. But with you gone, I shall become the great Darth Maul as my Master lays waste to your precious Republic.”

Obi-Wan just shook his head in response. “You’ll become nothing more than a footnote in history. A Sith who wanted to destroy the Light but who failed. You will not become anything great _Maul_.” He scowled, but delighted in the twitch of Maul’s face as he said his name. “You Sith are all the same. Looking to dominate the galaxy, but you never learn your history. Every Sith before you have _failed_. You try to exterminate the Jedi, but something you don’t understand is this. You cannot have Darkness without Light. No matter how hard you may try there will never be total Darkness. For how can you know what true Darkness is with no Light? Face it Maul. Your plan. Your Master’s plan. Will fail because there will _always_ be Light.”

Maul yelled in pure fury and attacked Obi-Wan with his one remaining lightsaber blade that left Obi-Wan shocked at the pure anger emitting from the Sith. As he blocked the red lightsaber from scorching his face, his back was turned towards the handrail in an attempt to move away from the Sith’s attack. Maul pressed his lightsaber against his, pushing him back. Until his back was being bent over the handrail of the walkway, his long Padawan braid falling behind his head and dangling down over the chamber below. He kicked at Maul’s legs, taking satisfaction from landing a kick that led to Maul letting out a pained grunt.

His victory didn’t last long, because suddenly there was no handrail behind him. Air rushed past him as he widened his eyes in realisation that Maul had pushed him off the walkway. He braced himself and hit the floor with a pained grunt. He lay on his side, twisting his head up to look at the walkway, his eyes watching the fight, but too stunned to understand what was happening. His Master was launching an attack at Maul, but the Sith looked down and saw he was lying unprotected, his lightsaber deactivated in his stunned surprise.

The Sith’s satisfied laugh echoed in the chamber, as Master Qui-Gon swung his green lightsaber out to strike Maul. The Sith jumped out of the way, over the handrail and landed on his feet a short distance from Obi-Wan.

“ _Obi-Wan!_ ” his Master shouted desperately. The panic in his Master’s voice woke up his brain.

With a great effort, Obi-Wan pulled himself to his knees and activated his lightsaber and just as he got to his feet, Maul was there, arching his blood red lightsaber towards his face. He blocked each strike aimed at him, but his arms shook with the effort, still dazed from his fall. Then the Force pulled around him, and with wide eyes he felt Maul use the Force to pull him away from the centre of the room and push him up against the wall. His lightsaber clattered to the floor uselessly, he gripped at his neck desperately, feeling Maul start to choke the life out of him. His vision started to fade around the edges, but the thought of Cody having to find his body, pushed him to fight. He felt the Force gather up inside him and as he closed his eyes, his body tightening, Maul’s laughter ringing in his ears, his Master’s panic filling their bond, the sense of the 212th fighting back harder with their victory close at hand and Cody’s presence in the Force still alive and fighting with determination. Obi-Wan pushed the Force at Maul, the tightness around his neck disappearing, allowing him to slump to the floor, his back resting against the marble wall as he took big gasps of air. He looked up from his feet to watch as his Master was somehow already on the main floor of the chamber.

Master Qui-Gon fought with such energy, Obi-Wan couldn’t ever remember seeing his Master fight so ferociously before. Following his Master’s instructions from prior fights, he took the time to steady his breathing and allowed his shaking limbs to recover. Just as he felt himself steady, physically and in the Force, he pushed himself to his feet calling his lightsaber to his hand with the Force.

About to re-join the fight he could only watch in horror as Maul kicked his Master’s legs out from under him, his Master stumbling on his feet and in that split second Maul stabbed his Master in the abdomen. His Master looked across the room at him, his face creased in confusion and then slumped face down on the marble floor. Unmoving.

“ _NOOOOOO!_ ”

He jumped at the sound, but then the rawness of his throat told him he was the one who shouted. Maul looked up from his Master’s prone form and just _laughed_. The Sith lifted a leg and was about to step _onto his Master_. With no memory of moving, Obi-Wan suddenly found himself across the space and standing protectively over his Master, pushing Maul back with the Force.

The Sith stumbled back and raised his lightsaber, a manic grin on his face, as he tasted victory. Obi-Wan activated his own lightsaber and called his Master’s to his free hand, also activating it. Surrounding him in a blue and green shroud of light. The confident grin slipping off Maul’s face. The Sith realising Obi-Wan now had the upper hand.

Maul stepped forward, trying to unsettle Obi-Wan with his presence, but he failed. Obi-Wan felt in the Force that Anakin and the 501st had arrived, the battle was won, in their favour. He also used the Force and his training bond to sense his Master was still alive, badly wounded, but _alive_. Confidently he stepped closer to Maul and using the limited knowledge he had of the katas of the Jar’Kai form, he pressed an attack forward, forcefully pushing Maul away from his Master.

He continued to push Maul across the room, now the one directing the fight. Maul visibly struggled against the attack, clearly the one used to having two lightsaber blades, not one. A part of Obi-Wan was concerned at his own fighting fearing that he was giving in to his anger, but as the Force moved through him, he realised. He wasn’t fighting out of anger, but protective love. Knowing he was not on the brink of Falling, he closed his eyes and let the Force direct his movements. He listened to Maul’s panicked breathing, listened to the humming of his and his Master’s lightsabers and the whispering of the Force. He sensed Maul trying to swipe at him with his lightsaber, but he jerked his head out of the way and using his Master’s lightsaber to block Maul’s lightsaber, stopping the Sith from making another attack. Obi-Wan then used his own lightsaber and held it up to cut through the air. He opened his eyes just in time to see Maul’s body crumple to the floor, his head rolling away from his body.

Obi-Wan deactivated the lightsabers in his hands, clipped them to his belt and turned away from the Sith. Running across the room and landed heavily on his knees beside his Master. He slowly and carefully turned his Master onto his back, cradling Master Qui-Gon’s head in the crook of his elbow. “Master?” he croaked; his voice strained as he tried to hold back tears.

Master Qui-Gon’s eyes flittered open, and the midnight blue eyes shined with unshed tears of relief. “P…P…Padawan,” he breathed. “The…Sith?...”

“Dead,” was his one-word answer, as he tried to hold back tears of his own. He gently brushed his Master’s hair away from his face, his hand shaking. His Master nodded, and his eyes slipped closed, his breathing becoming more ragged. “ _Master_!” he cried, tears now starting to fall down his cheeks, to land on his Master’s face. “Please! You need to stay _awake!_ Master _please!_ ” he pleaded, his voice rising in terror.

The doors to the chamber bounced against the marble wall of the walkway, causing Obi-Wan to jump and look up as Anakin bounded down the stairs, men following behind him. Anakin slid onto his knees, opposite him on the other side of their Master.

“Obi-Wan…” breathed Anakin, his blue eyes blown wide in shock.

“I…I couldn’t stop it…Anakin!...I…I,” he gasped out. Wanting to apologise for not having their Master’s back as he should have done.

“Easy,” soothed Anakin, reaching over their Master to squeeze his arm. “It wasn’t your fault Obi-Wan.”

Suddenly, arms were around his waist, pulling him backwards. He started to protest, but the other person was insistent. Waxer was in his place, holding his Master’s head on his lap, as Patch and Anakin began to work on his Master. He was pulled along the floor, pleading the other person to let him go.

“Shhh, cyare. Shhh it’s alright Ob’ika,” murmured the voice in his ear. A voice he realised belonged to Cody. He curled himself up, bending his head forward and just burst into tears, sobs racking his frame. Cody pulled him onto his lap, turning him so his right side was resting against Cody’s chest. A hand was carefully carding through his hair, a soft voice whispering soothing noises in his ear.

Through his tear-filled eyes, he looked up and saw Boil, Meteor and Gearshift staring around the room with wide eyes. Unable to meet the gazes of his men, he turned his head to look back at Anakin, as Rex crouched beside Patch asking what he could do to help.

“I’m sorry!” he cried, his chest heaving. “It’s my fault. I’m sorry!”

Anakin shook his head sharply. “It is _not_ your fault brother. It is the Sith. A Sith you dealt with. Master’s injury is not your fault.” But Obi-Wan wasn’t consoled, Cody tried rocking him and hugging him tightly. But Obi-Wan couldn’t calm down, his Master was dying and he could do nothing to stop it. Anakin looked behind him at Cody, “take him back to the Negotiator.”

Cody must have nodded, because the next thing Obi-Wan was aware of, was an arm tucking under his knees and another arm resting against his back as Cody stood to his feet. Obi-Wan began to struggle against his cyare’s hold, ignoring Cody’s soothing voice.

“No! Please don’t! I need to stay! _Please!_ ” he cried desperately, trying to pry Cody’s hands off him. But he was too worn down from the fight and the state of his Master to make any difference.

Boil and Gearshift moved so they walked on either side of Cody, with Meteor running on ahead. Obi-Wan lost the ability to talk, the further he was taken from his Master, the more concerned he was that the training bond fading was his Master dying not the growing distance between them. As he continued to cry in Cody’s arms, he felt his cyare’s hands hold onto him tightly, kisses were pressed onto his head.

Soon, Cody was carrying him through the entrance way of the government building and out into the sunlight. Meteor was there pointing Cody towards a free gunship, all while waving away the men of the 212th and 501st who all turned wide eyes on him. Normally Obi-Wan would be embarrassed at being in such a state in front of the men, but he just didn’t care, his heart was breaking.

* * *

Cody sat at his cyare’s bedside in the Medbay, Painkiller having to sedate Obi-Wan so he could get some rest. General Jinn was in a bacta tank. Patch’s tending to the wound and General Skywalker’s use of the Force buying them enough time to put Jinn in the tank and hopefully save his life.

Nothing had prepared Cody for the sight of his cyare breaking down in front of him. Obi-Wan’s begging to stay with his Master in the chamber room had broken Cody’s heart, almost just allowing his cyare to stay. But he understood why General Skywalker thought it was for the best to get Obi-Wan out of the room. He was becoming panicked and his breathing was worryingly fast as he apologised for something that was not his fault.

Once they had arrived on the Negotiator, Obi-Wan had fallen silent, tears still streaming down his face as he tiredly leaned his head against Cody’s shoulder. Once they entered the Medbay, Obi-Wan’s expression had tightened and fallen seeing the number of men being treated. Seeing Blackeye, Flycatcher, Longshot and Wooley on medical beds had seemed to crush Obi-Wan even more. Blackeye, who had been sat up in his bed, had looked at Obi-Wan worriedly, trying to get out of bed to check on his Commander. Only stopping when Needle snapped at him to stay put.

Cody had gone to put Obi-Wan on a free bed, but his cyare had resisted, mumbling about other men needing it more than him, he wasn’t injured. So, seeing Blackeye shift across his bed. Cody placed Obi-Wan down on the bed beside Blackeye, on his brother’s uninjured side. With Cody sat in a chair beside him holding his hand and Blackeye wrapping his arm around his shoulders, had started to relax Obi-Wan.

Then General Jinn was brought in. Obi-Wan tensed up and listened to General Skywalker explain that it would be touch and go, but their Master should survive the trip to the Temple. Obi-Wan had then fallen silent and just stared out at nothing as he undoubtedly relived the fight again in his mind.

Once they reached the Temple, a blue Twi’lek healer, called Healer Corra, took General Jinn’s stretcher to the Halls and immediately placed the older man into another bacta tank. Telling Cody how serious his General’s status was. Two days later, when things began to improve, Jinn removed from his bacta tank and Obi-Wan beginning to talk more and starting to lose the haunted look in his blue eyes. The galaxy just had to throw one more thing at them.

So, Cody found himself stood in the Council Room with Obi-Wan and General Skywalker as General Windu explained their new orders from the Chancellor himself. The Master of the Order clearly not agreeing with the orders at all, but Cody knew he had to follow whatever orders the Chancellor gave the Jedi Order.

“The Chancellor has ordered Anakin to remain at the Temple and aid Qui-Gon in his recovery,” here General Windu sighed and directed his apologetic eyes to Obi-Wan, causing Cody to stiffen. Hoping he was wrong, but a part of him knew what was coming, and so did Obi-Wan going by his cyare’s tight expression. “The Chancellor has ordered you, Obi-Wan, to take command of the 212th and start a new campaign against the Separatists with the 501st supporting you.”

“That’s asking too much of Obi-Wan!” protested Skywalker, his blue eyes alight with protective anger as he looked between Obi-Wan and General Windu.

“I know,” was all General Windu said in response.

“I’ll go instead! And let Obi-Wan stay here!” offered Skywalker desperately, as he stepped closer to Obi-Wan.

“I suggested that. But the Chancellor was most insistent,” stated General Windu, his expression neutral, but his eyes betrayed his annoyance at the situation.

“Will there be another Jedi with me, or will I be in command of both the 212th and 501st?” asked Obi-Wan, his voice quiet in his unwilling acceptance of the situation. Cody ground his teeth together as he clenched his hands into fists. Cursing the Chancellor in his head, wondering how the man could even think of sending Obi-Wan out into the galaxy with his Master still not yet awake. Couldn’t his Jedi catch a _break?_

Skywalker cursed at his brother’s quiet acceptance of his orders, while General Windu sighed his answer. “You will be leaving in five days and there will be another Jedi Master going in command of the 501st, as ordered by the Chancellor.”

Obi-Wan nodded, the haunted look in his eyes vanishing, as it was replaced by a steely determination to do his duty. Cody respected and loved his cyare for it, but at this time wished it was not necessary. Cody knew this order would be destroying Obi-Wan inside, but his Jedi was always determined to do his duty, even if it meant a personal sacrifice. “Where are we needed to go? And which Jedi will be going in temporary command of the 501st?” asked Obi-Wan, his voice neutral. Skywalker looked at his brother with saddened eyes, like Cody, realising that Obi-Wan would not fight the order and carry out his duty as ordered.

General Windu sent a small, comforting smile towards Obi-Wan, like Cody and Skywalker knowing what Obi-Wan would truly be feeling. The small smile faded and he then looked back at Obi-Wan steadily, again with an unhappy look on his face. “The Chancellor has chosen the Jedi Master. You will be going to the planet Umbara with Master Pong Krell.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (Jedi Healer Corra is my OC I created for my other codywan AU series.)


End file.
